A small number of students each year come to Cambridge as 'visiting students' for up to one year, to undertake a period of study or supervised research. These are students who do not intend to become candidates for any University of Cambridge qualification, but who, in many cases, are registered at another institution either in the UK or abroad. You will not normally be permitted to continue for more than one year without registering for a Cambridge qualification.

Candidates are generally invited by a department or a faculty, and do not need to apply through the Board of Graduate Studies. Please note that this means that visiting students will not have College affiliation, unless the department is able to arrange this. If visiting students are interested in obtaining College membership for the duration of their visit, they should apply formally for admission as a visiting student through the Board of Graduate Studies. The admissions process in these cases is identical to that for all other new graduate applicants.

Departments may charge a fee to visiting students. Visiting students who apply through the Board of Graduate Studies will have the same financial liability as all other graduate applicants.